ANALYSIS OF SOIL FROM A DISUSED GASWORKS

The intended rehabilitation of the site of a former coal gasification plant in Belfast provided an opportunity to analyse soil samples for a number of contaminants. Widely varying concentrations of cadmium, chr omium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc as well as sulphate and cyanide a nions were detected. A major contribution to soil contamination was th e presence of complex mixtures of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons als o in highly variable concentrations. The random distribution of toxic contaminants both in area and depth indicates that a costly decontamin antion process will be required to make the site completely safe for r eutilisation.